PESHAWAR: Minister for Local Government Akbar Ayub Khan has said that provincial government has completed preparations for holding local bodies’ elections.

He said that Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) might announce local bodies’ polls in the entire province by October 15, according to a statement.

He was addressing a jirga during his visit to Orakzai tribal district on Wednesday after inaugurating a newly constructed causeway on the river in Kasha area.

The bridge has been completed by Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) on the behest of provincial government at a cost of Rs44.3 million. The causeway facilitated 11 villages consisting of 900 families in Kasha area to have access to the highway in all weathers.

Akbar Ayub says Rs84bn being spent on uplift of merged areas

MPA Syed Ghazan Jamal, Orakzai Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Khalid, SRSP chief Masoodul Mulk and tribal leaders Maulana Ashraf and Maulana Hifzur Rehman also addressed the jirga.

They praised the initiatives and policies of the provincial government for the development of the merged areas and highlighted some local issues.

The minister assured them of durable solution of the problems mentioned in the welcome address. He said that he was visiting Orakzai on instructions of Prime Minister Imran khan and Chief Minister Mahmood Khan. He added that he would continue visiting tribal districts.

He said merger of former Fata into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the historical achievement of government and no one could dare to reverse the process of speedy development there.

The minister acknowledged that tribal districts were replete with precious natural resources including forests, agriculture and minerals. He added that a new era of prosperity was being ushered by rapidly developing roads, water supply schemes and education and health facilities in the tribal areas.

He said that Rs84 billion was being spent on development of merged areas whereas the promise of providing three per cent funds to the area from National Finance Commission award would also be honoured.

Mr Khan said that a number of welfare schemes worth billions of rupees were also executed in the merge areas. He announced establishment of cadet college in Orakzai, providing additional grant of Rs50 million to MPA development fund and extension of Community Development Programme (CDLD) of Malakand to the merged districts.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2021